Emmett Hunt's Diary Entry November 14, 1888

Strong cold North wind making it quite wintery.  Chaffed around till the freight came along then rode to town and sought the cozy couch.

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Captain Daniel McLean (1827-1895)

Captain Daniel McLean (1827-1895)

Captain Daniel McLean was one of the many Civil War veterans that moved to the Washington Territory following the conflict.  Although he was born in Scotland, he joined the California Volunteer Cavalry Second Regiment, Company H as a commissioned officer on September 5, 1861.  On January 5, 1865 he was promoted to full captain and on April 26, 1866 was mustered at at the Presidio in San Francisco, CA.  Captain McLean had suffered a leg and arm wound while serving in the military during the war and received a monthly pension of $24.00 starting in 1867.  (Pierce County Washington 1883 Pensioners on the Roll)

Unfortunately I was unable to find any information about his parents, when or how he came to America or how he found himself in Vallejo, California but he certainly contributed to the growth of Washington Territory.  (Vallejo, Solano County, California not Sonoma County as stated on Find-a-Grave site.  Although Mariano Vallejo, for whom Vallejo is named owned 250,000 acres of land titles in Sonoma County in 1850.)

iPhone photo of Picture on Find-a-Grave Site for Capt. McLean

Captain McLean and his first wife, Magadeline Alf, arrived in Rosedale in 1882 and became one of the small community’s leading citizens.  According to The History of Pierce County “ROSEDALE:  Rosedale acquired its name because of the wild roses growing in the area.  Captain and Mrs. McLean and Walter and Willie White were the first to settle in 1882.  Transportation was by rowboat.  In 1883, both the post office and the school district were established.  Logging, as well as farming, formed the economic base for the community.  By 1912, the business district included two docks, two stores, a church, a public library and school and also the home of the steamer Tyconda. 

Martha Hoy Bernhartsen wrote a brief history of the Rosedale Cemetery covering the period August 20, 1896 to February 10, 1948 which you are able to read in its entirety in the Harbor History Museum Research Room.  I shall only include what she specifically stated about the McLean family.

“The land for the original, or “Old Part” of the Rosedale Cemetery, was a gift from the estate of Captain Daniel McLean, administered according to his widow, Mrs. Sarah McLean.  The transaction date was August 20, 1896.

Captain McLean dies April 22, 1895 and is buried in Lot 13 of this cemetery he gave to the Rosedale Community.  But his first wife, Magadeline Helen Alf McLean and infant son had died in1887 and had been buried on their home property.  After Captain McLean’s death and the establishment of the cemetery they were reinterred next to their husband and father.  Captain Daniel and Magadeline’s first son, Donald was buried in Lot 13 on March 23, 1964.  Donald McLean was born on October 2, 1885 and died on March 17, 1964 in Spokane, Washington.  Donald McLean never married.

Captain McLean and Sarah Cooper were married in 1890.  A daughter, Mildred was born in 1892.  After Captain McLean’s death, his widow, Sarah, and children, Donald and Mildred, moved first to Tacoma and then to Roseland, British Columbia.  Sarah McLean became Mrs. B. E. O’Brien in 1901.  Mildred married Mr. R. L. McAllister in 1917and they are still living in Roseland, Canada (as of 1963).

Originally, this cemetery was called “Greenwood Cemetery”.  This community cemetery eliminated the necessity of burials on individual farms.  …”

Captain McLean had several Land Titles amounting to approximately 95 acres as shown on the below property map.   I have attached the Land Patent Details at the end of this blog for you viewing and understanding the map.

Shortly after their arrival and settling in Rosedale, Magadeline was appointed Postmistrees and served from 1883 until her death in 1887.  Captain McLean was appointed November 15, 1892 and Sarah, Captain McLean’s second wife was then appointed as Postmistress in 1897.

As in any small community in the late 19th century, residents home frequently became the center of their social life.  And Captain McLean’s home was no exception:  they hosted community meetings, dances whenever a fiddler or musician could be found, potluck dinners, and other activities.  

The Captain being the leader he was, petitioned Washington Territorial Governor William A. Newell for permission to build a schoolhouse on property he was donated to the Rosedale community.  This petition was approved in 1884 and construction of the school house was started. 

I also found a couple interesting documents, one Ax-I-Dent-Ax  containing an article entitled “Early Utah Mining and Smelting Addenda” discussing the founding of the Jordan Silver Mining Company and listing a group of members of the company.  Each man was granted one share except for the discoverer of the mine, a George B. Ogilvie who received two shares.  The majority were Mormans (members of The Church of Latter Day Saints).  However, a few were officers serving at Camp Douglas.  The military men are identified as:  General Edward McGarry, Colonel Robert Pollock, Colonel Charles Jeffrey Sprague, Captain Micajah G. Lewis, Lieutenant James Finnerty, General Richard Colter Drum, Dr. Robert K. Reid (Reed) and Captain Daniel McLean.    However in another document entitled “Professional Paper-US Geological Survey 1905”  in discussing the Jordan Silver Mine they show Daniel MacLane rather than “McLean”.  Which is correct?  I honestly cannot say.  Unfortunately I cannot print the geological report due to length and format.

Captain Daniel McLean Homestead

US Land Patent Details:

Accession No. WAOAA083301

Document Type:  Serial Patent

State: WA

Issue Date: 12/4/1884

Cancelled: No

Name on Document:  McLean, Daniel

Land Office:  Olympia

US Reservation: No

Mineral Reservation: No

Tribe: —

Militia - ——

State in Favor of:  —

Authority:  May 20, 1862:  Homestead Entry Original (12 Stat. 392)

Document: 1771 Total Acres: 157.25

BLM Serial No.: WAOAA083301

WA-Willamette - Twp021N, Rng001E, S 1/2SW1/4, Sec2, County Pierce

WA-Willamette - Twp021N, Rng001E, SW 1/4SE1/4, Sec2, County Pierce

WA-Willamette, Twp021N, Rng001E, Lot/Tract7, Sec3, County Pierce (remarks: Lot 7 or nose quarter

WA-Willamette, Twp021N, Rng001E, Lot/Tract8, Sec 3, County Pierce (remarks: Lot 8 or see quarter)

WA-Willamette, Twp021N, Rng001E, Lot/Tract 1, Sec 10, County Pierce (remarks: Lot 1 or nene quarter)

Notes:

• Ancestry.com
• Ax-I-Dent-Ax (Early Utah Mining and Smelting Addenda) by Edgar M. Ledyard
• California Civil War Roosters
• Find-a-Grave
• The History of Pierce County
• BLM Land Patent Details

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

Emmett Hunt's Diary Entry November 7, 1888

Fine day.  Loafed around till M.  then went to Gig H. & boarded Messenger for the city when I learn that Harrison is elected; Hurrah!  -- By express to Hillhurst at night.

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

Emmett Hunt's Diary Entry October 31, 1888

Some mist in morn but fine later.  Came via Steilacoom to town and deliver up Gispy Queen to her new owners.

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

Hudson’s Bay Company

Hudson’s Bay Company 

Incorporated 2nd May 1670

There has always been questions whether or not the Hudson’s Bay Company had an outpost in Rosedale, or on the east shore of Henderson Bay.  Especially since Mrs. Mary Frances Keane White wrote of such an outpost in her autobiography.  

Well in 1976 Ms. Madeline Summerhays, Corresponding Secretary of the Gig Harbor Peninsula Historical Society wrote to Hudson’s Bay Company asking for documentation of the outpost.  I found Hudson’s Bay Company’s response and I am reproducing it below.

Hudson’s Bay Company 

Incorporated 2nd May 1670

March 16, 1976

Ms. Madeline Summerhays

Corresponding Secretary

The Peninsula Historical Society

P. O. Box 74-A

GIG HARBOR, Washington 98335

USA

Dear Ms. Summerhays:

We have been unable to find any information to substantiate your understanding that the Hudson’s Bay Company operated outposts on the east shore of Henderson Bay, in the community now known as Rosedale.  The Company’s main activity in the area was farming, under the auspices of the Puget Sound Agricultural Society, and based at Fort Nisqually.  No journals from Fort Nisqually have survived in the Company’s Archives.

We would suggest that you write to or visit the Huntington Library at San Marino, California, where, in the Soliday Collection, are deposited journals, letter books and account books covering the Hudson’s Bay Company and Puget Sound Agricultural Companies various posts (including Nisqually) from 1833 to 1870.  You might also approach the Washington and Oregon Historical Societies and consult such publications as the Washington Historical Quarterly, Pacific Northwest Historical, British Columbia Historical Quarterly, and two publications of the Hudson’s Bay Company: The Beaver and the publications of the Hudson’s Bay Record Society (list enclosed).  The Beaver contains numerous articles relating to H B C activity on the west coast.  (Please consult the following issues in particular:  Sept. 1934, Sept. 1940, March 1951, Summer 1965, Spring 1963.)  These should be available to you at a University or major public library, either on microfilm or as published.  If you are unable to gain access to The Beaver we will be pleased to photocopy some articles for you.  A list of available back issues of The Beaver is enclosed.

Yours sincerely,

Robert V. Oleson

Public Relations Officer

Encls.

I didn’t see the list that was enclosed, nor do I know whether or not any further research was conducted to find additional information.  So that is a project for the future.

However I did look up the Puget Sound Agricultural Company (PSAC) thinking that perhaps it would add a better understanding of the HBC operations in our area. Wikipedia had an article, so let’s see what they have to tell us.  It starts out explaining three variations of the name:  Puget Sound Agricultural Company, Puget Sound or Puget’s Sound and that PSAC was “a subsidiary joint stock company formed in 1840 by the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC).  However from Mr. Oleson’s letter we know that PSAC was in fact operation from 1833.   Wikipedia continues informing us that the outposts in the Pacific Northwest were under the HBC administrative division of the Columbia Department.

The license granted to HBC by the British Government restricted their operations to the fur trade; in order to get around that restriction, HBC formed the PSAC.  They used the PSAC in their letters to England and with the British officials stationed in Canada, to promote the British position in the Oregon boundary dispute with the United States.  Remember originally Canada extended down the west coast to approximately Oregon City or the Columbia River.  President Polk wanted the border between Canada and the Pacific Northwest at the 49th parallel.  After extended negotiations, and threats of war, the two countries agreed on a final solution, and the US got Washington and Oregon.  

But let’s get back to PSAC:  their primary operations were at Fort Nisqually, founded 1833,  and Fort Cowlitz.  Fort Nisqually had very poor soil and so it was most used for sheep flocks, for wool, and cattle herds, for beef and cheese.  The grazing lands surrounding Fort Nisqually was responsible for over 5,872 sheep, 2,280 cattle and 228 horses by 1845. Dr. William Tolmie was appointed Chief Trader at Fort Nisqually and managed this location from 1843 until 1859.   Fort Cowlitz though was a different story-it was the company’s agricultural center.  Just one great big farm:  principal production was in grain, peas and potatoes.  HBC would continue to handle and concentrate on the fur trade whereas PSAC would handle all agricultural business, and their purchase of sheep, cattle and horses would be from HBC.

American settlers however interrupted their plans by moving west and settling on HBC/PSAC lands even though these lands were guaranteed under the Oregon Treaty of 1846 in both Washington and Oregon above the 49th Parallel.  This treaty gave them (HBC/PSAC) the right notify any settlers who might encroach upon their lands that they were trespassing.  British settlers were sent to the company’s land that was not used by PSAC but the British settlers were dissatisfied with the fact that PSAC received preferential treatment.  

By 1855, American settlers were involved in battle with the Native Americans sometimes called the Puget Sound War of 1855-56.  The Americans felt that Dr. William Tolmie favored the Native Americans or Indigenous people.  The US government in Washington Territory set high taxes on the PSAC lands making it difficult for HBC to  make a profit on their operations located in the territory.  HBC closed the PSAC operations at the Cowlitz Farm in 1855, and Fort Nisqually in 1869.  The United States government paid PSAC $200,000 for all PSAC properties south of the 49th parallel.

Although PSAC was not yet formed on March 19, 1825, the most prominent fort belonging to HBC was established on the north bank of the Columbia River, 99 miles upstream from the mouth of the river.  They named this fort, Fort Vancouver, and it became the headquarters for the Columbia Department.  This department consisted of 695,000 square miles and covered the area from Russian Alaska to Mexican California and from the Rockies to the Pacific. 

  

Hopefully this will answer everyone's question until someone else does further research and delve into the Hudson's Bay Company archives.

Notes:

• Hudson’s Bay Company History Foundation
• Harbor History Museum Resource Room
• Wikipedia - Puget’s Sound Agricultural Company

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

Emmett Hunt's Diary Entry October 24, 1888

Rainy and breezy.  Steamed to Steilacoom and left our delegation then out to the City of Destiny.

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.

Emmett Hunt's Diary Entry October 17, 1888

Fine day.  So drove up to town and do a bit of work after our fun which was put in to use.

© 2012 Harbor History Museum. All rights reserved.